Services access for mobile devices

ABSTRACT

Briefly, embodiments of methods and/or systems of services access through progressive registration via a mobile device.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates generally to accessing services using,for example, mobile devices and, more particularly, to use ofindividual-specific parameters to permit access to sets of Internetservices by mobile devices.

2. Information

At times, entering passwords, user IDs, and/or other parameters for thepurposes of obtaining access to applications operating on mobiledevices, such as mobile “smart phones,” for example, may be particularlyproblematic. For example, if a mobile device user seeks to gain accessto an Internet-type service, such as an e-mail account, an instantmessaging capability, a shared calendar, etc., a user may be required toenter a username and/or password each time the user accesses theservice. In many instances, manipulating a touchscreen display, forexample, on a small, handheld mobile device each time, for example, auser seeks to make use of an Internet service may represent atime-consuming and/or unproductive endeavor.

However, although mobile device users may feel that entering andreentering passwords may represent a nuisance, many mobile device userscontinue to utilize usernames, passwords, and/or other security measuresto hinder unscrupulous others from gaining access to particularapplications and/or personal files. Thus, especially in view of theproliferation of application programs for use with handheld mobiledevices, less-intrusive security and/or authentication measures continueto gain favor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Claimed subject matter is particularly pointed out and/or distinctlyclaimed in the concluding portion of the specification. However, both asto organization and/or method of operation, together with objects,features, and/or advantages thereof, claimed subject matter may beunderstood by reference to the following detailed description if readwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a services manifest showingInternet service sets and individual-specific parameters, includingcommensurate parameters, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a mobile device communicating witha server device to obtain services of Internet service set according toan embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a computing platform that may beemployed according to an embodiment.

Reference is made in the following detailed description to accompanyingdrawings, which form a part hereof, wherein like numerals may designatelike parts throughout to indicate corresponding and/or analogouscomponents. It will be appreciated that components illustrated in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale, such as for simplicityand/or clarity of illustration. For example, dimensions of somecomponents may be exaggerated relative to other components. Further, itis to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized. Furthermore,structural and/or other changes may be made without departing fromclaimed subject matter. It should also be noted that directions and/orreferences, for example, up, down, top, bottom, and so on, may be usedto facilitate discussion of drawings and/or are not intended to restrictapplication of claimed subject matter. Therefore, the following detaileddescription is not to be taken to limit claimed subject matter and/orequivalents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subject matter. Forpurposes of explanation, specific numbers, systems, and/orconfigurations are set forth, for example. However, it should beapparent to one skilled in the relevant art having benefit of thisdisclosure that claimed subject matter may be practiced without specificdetails. In other instances, well-known features may be omitted and/orsimplified so as not to obscure claimed subject matter. While certainfeatures have been illustrated and/or described herein, manymodifications, substitutions, changes, and/or equivalents may occur tothose skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood thatappended claims are intended to cover any and all modifications and/orchanges as fall within claimed subject matter.

Reference throughout this specification to one implementation, animplementation, one embodiment, an embodiment and/or the like may meanthat a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described inconnection with a particular implementation or embodiment may beincluded in at least one implementation or embodiment of claimed subjectmatter. Thus, appearances of such phrases, for example, in variousplaces throughout this specification are not necessarily intended torefer to the same implementation or to any one particular implementationdescribed. Furthermore, it is to be understood that particular features,structures, or characteristics described may be combined in various waysin one or more implementations. In general, of course, these and otherissues may vary with context. Therefore, particular context ofdescription or usage may provide helpful guidance regarding inferencesto be drawn.

Operations and/or processing, such as in association with networks, suchas communication networks, for example, may involve physicalmanipulations of physical quantities. Typically, although notnecessarily, these quantities may take the form of electrical and/ormagnetic signals or states capable of, for example, being stored,transferred, combined, processed, compared, and/or otherwisemanipulated. It has proven convenient, at times, principally for reasonsof common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, data, values,elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, numerals, and/or thelike. It should be understood, however, that all of these or similarterms are to be associated with appropriate physical quantities and areintended to merely be convenient labels.

In this context, the terms “coupled,” “connected,” and/or similar terms,may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intendedas synonyms. Rather, “connected” may be used to indicate that two ormore elements or other components, for example, are in direct physicaland/or electrical contact; while, “coupled” may mean that two or morecomponents are in direct physical or electrical contact; however,“coupled” may also mean that two or more components are not in directcontact, but may nonetheless co-operate or interact. The term “coupled”may also be understood to mean indirectly connected, for example, in anappropriate context.

The terms, “and,” “or,” “and/or,” and/or similar terms, as used herein,may include a variety of meanings that also are expected to depend atleast in part upon the particular context in which such terms are used.Typically, “or” if used to associate a list, such as A, B, or C, isintended to mean A, B, and C, here used in the inclusive sense, as wellas A, B, or C, here used in the exclusive sense. In addition, the term“one or more” and/or similar terms may be used to describe any feature,structure, and/or characteristic in the singular and/or may be used todescribe a plurality or some other combination of features, structuresand/or characteristics. In this context, the term “between” and/orsimilar terms are understood to include “among” if appropriate for theparticular usage. Likewise, in this context, the terms “compatiblewith,” “comply with” and/or similar terms are understood to includesubstantial compliance or substantial compatibility. Though it should benoted that these are merely illustrative examples and claimed subjectmatter is not limited to this example.

The terms “network device” may refer to any device capable ofcommunicating via and/or as part of a network. Network devices may becapable of sending and/or receiving signals (e.g., signal packets), suchas via a wired or wireless network, may be capable of performingarithmetic and/or logic operations, processing and/or storing signals,such as in memory as physical memory states, and/or may, for example,operate as a server. Network devices capable of operating as a server,or otherwise, may include, as examples, dedicated rack-mounted servers,desktop computers, laptop computers, set top boxes, tablets, netbooks,smart phones, integrated devices combining two or more features of theforegoing devices, the like or any combination thereof.

It should be understood that for ease of description, a network devicemay be embodied and/or described in terms of a computing device.However, it should further be understood that this description should inno way be construed that claimed subject matter is limited to oneembodiment, such as a computing device or a network device, and,instead, may be embodied as a variety of devices or combinationsthereof, including, for example, one or more illustrative examples.

A network may comprise two or more network devices and/or may couplenetwork devices so that signal communications, such as in the form ofsignal packets, for example, may be exchanged, such as between a serverand a client device and/or other types of network devices, includingbetween wireless devices coupled via a wireless network, for example. Itis noted that the terms, server, server device, server computing device,server computing platform, and/or similar terms are usedinterchangeably. While in some instances, for ease of description, theseterms may be used in the singular, such as by referring to a “clientdevice,” “mobile device,” or a “server device,” the description isintended to encompass one or more mobile devices, one or more clientdevices, or one or more server devices, as appropriate. Along similarlines, references to a “database” are understood to mean, one or moredatabases and/or portions thereof, as appropriate.

A network may also include now known, or to be later developedarrangements, derivatives, and/or improvements, including, for example,past, present and/or future mass storage, such as network attachedstorage (NAS), a storage area network (SAN), and/or other forms ofcomputer and/or machine readable media, for example. A network mayinclude the Internet, one or more local area networks (LANs), one ormore wide area networks (WANs), wire-line type connections, wirelesstype connections, other connections, and/or any combination thereof.Thus, a network may be worldwide in scope and/or extent. Likewise,sub-networks, such as may employ differing architectures or may becompliant and/or compatible with differing protocols, such ascommunication protocols (e.g., network communication protocols), mayinteroperate within a larger network. Various types of devices may bemade available so that device interoperability is enabled and/or, in atleast some instances, may be transparent to the devices. In thiscontext, the term transparent refers to communicating in a manner sothat communications may pass through intermediaries, but without thecommunications necessarily specifying one or more intermediaries, suchas intermediate devices, and/or may include communicating as ifintermediaries, such as intermediate devices, are not necessarilyinvolved. For example, a router may provide a link between otherwiseseparate and/or independent LANs. In this context, a private networkrefers to a particular, limited set of network devices able tocommunicate with other network devices in the particular, limited set,such as via signal packet transmissions, for example, without a need forre-routing and/or redirecting such communications. A private network maycomprise a stand-alone network; however, a private network may alsocomprise a subset of a larger network, such as, for example, withoutlimitation, the Internet. Thus, for example, a private network “in thecloud” may refer to a private network that comprises a subset of theInternet, for example. Although signal packet transmissions may employintermediate devices to exchange signal packet transmissions, thoseintermediate devices may not necessarily be included in the privatenetwork by not being a source or destination for one or more signalpacket transmissions, for example. As another example, a logicalbroadcast domain may comprise an example of a private network. It isunderstood in this context that a private network may provide outgoingcommunications to devices not in the private network, but such devicesoutside the private network may not direct inbound communications todevices included in the private network.

The Internet refers to a decentralized global network of interoperablenetworks, including devices that are part of those interoperablenetworks. The Internet includes local area networks (LANs), wide areanetworks (WANs), wireless networks, and/or long-haul public networksthat, for example, may allow signal packets to be communicated betweenLANs. The term world wide web (WWW) and/or similar terms may also beused to refer to the Internet. Signal packets, also referred to assignal packet transmissions, may be communicated between nodes of anetwork, where a node may comprise one or more network devices, forexample. As an illustrative example, but without limitation, a node maycomprise one or more sites employing a local network address. Likewise,a device, such as a network device, may be associated with that node. Asignal packet may, for example, be communicated via a communicationchannel or a communication path comprising the Internet, from a site viaan access node coupled to the Internet. Likewise, a signal packet may beforwarded via network nodes to a target site coupled to a local network,for example. A signal packet communicated via the Internet, for example,may be routed via a path comprising one or more gateways, servers, etc.that may, for example, route a signal packet in accordance with a targetaddress and availability of a network path of network nodes to a targetaddress.

Physically connecting portions of a network via a hardware bridge, asone example, may be done, although other approaches also exist. Ahardware bridge, however, may not typically include a capability ofinteroperability via higher levels of a network protocol. A networkprotocol refers to a set of signaling conventions for communicationsbetween or among devices in a network, typically network devices, butmay include computing devices, as previously discussed; for example,devices that substantially comply with the protocol or that aresubstantially compatible with the protocol. Typically, a networkprotocol has several layers. These layers may be referred to here as acommunication stack. Various types of communications may occur acrossvarious layers. For example, as one moves higher in a communicationstack, additional functions may be available by transmittingcommunications that are compatible and/or compliant with a particularnetwork protocol at these higher layers. A network may be very large,such as comprising thousands of nodes, millions of nodes, billions ofnodes, or more, as examples.

Certain media networks, such as the Yahoo!™ network, for example, may beincreasingly seeking ways to attract users to their networks and/or toretain users within their networks for extended periods of time. Medianetworks may, for example, comprise an Internet website or group ofwebsites having one or more sections. For instance, the Yahoo!™ networkincludes websites located within different categorized sections, such assports, finance, current events, games, matters of local interest, toname just a few non-limiting examples among a variety of possibleexamples.

To attract and/or retain users within its network, Yahoo!™ and/or othermedia networks may continually strive to provide content relating tocategorized and/or localized sections that may be interesting, relevant,and/or of use to users. To further attract and/or retain users withinits network, Yahoo!™ and/or other media networks may continuallyendeavor to increase ease-of-use for its services, which may include useof search engines, instant messaging services, electronic mail, accessto premium and/or specialized content, and so forth. Providing relevantcontent in a manner that affords greater ease-of-use may permit a medianetwork to increase its user base, which may allow the media network tobecome more valuable to potential advertisers. Thus, as many advertisersmay be inclined to pay more money and/or provide other considerations toa media network in return for advertising to users, for example, viathat media network, its partners, and/or subsidiaries. In this context,the term “content” includes, as examples, images, video, audio, text,and/or multimedia, such in the form of stored physical (e.g., memory)states or in the form of electronic signals, for example.

As a way of illustration, a “mobile device,” may refer to, for example,a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, awearable computer, a wrist phone, a laptop computer, a personalentertainment system, a tablet personal computer, a personal audioand/or video device, a personal navigation device, as well as othertypes of mobile or at least occasionally mobile computing and/or networkdevices. It should be appreciated, however, that these are merelyexamples of mobile devices that may be used, at least in part, toimplement one or more services described herein, such as instantmessaging, electronic mail, consuming (e.g., viewing, listening to, orotherwise experiencing) premium content, for example, and that claimedsubject matter is not limited in this respect. To permit a mobile deviceto perform one or more services, a server, for example, may perform oneor more operations based, at least in part, on executable instructions(e.g., capable of being executed by a processor or other computingdevice), such as software and/or firmware, for example. It is noted thatterms, such as “operation,” and “function,” and/or similar terms may beused interchangeably in this context.

As the term may be used herein, a mobile device may transmit one or more“individual-specific” parameters to a media network, for example. An“individual-specific” parameter and/or similar terms may refer to anidentifier specific or particular to an individual and/or to his or hermobile device, such as, for example, a mobile account identifier. Thus,for example, for mobile devices comprising mobile telephones (e.g.smartphones), an individual-specific parameter may comprise a telephonenumber, and/or other parameter of a cellular mobile telephone such as,for example, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), aMobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network-Number (MSISDN),and/or the like. In some embodiments, an individual-specific parametermay comprise a first/last name, post office address, etc., of anindividual operating a mobile device, for example. In particularembodiments, an individual-specific parameter may comprise a logicaladdress, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and/or the like. However,these are merely examples provided as illustrations. Furthermore,claimed subject matter is not intended to be limited to illustrativeexamples, but rather, is intended to embrace any type ofindividual-specific parameter that may be associated with a particularmobile device and/or its user, without limitation. It is noted thatwhile individual-specific parameters may in some cases be unique, suchas a mobile telephone number, for example, or an IP address, this is notgenerally a requirement. For example, date of birth and/or name may notbe unique, as examples. While any given individual-specific parametermay not be unique by itself, it is expected that several parameterstogether may form a unique, such as to designate a particular userand/or a particular account, for example.

As the term is used herein, an “Internet service”, an “Internet-typeservice,” and/or similar terms refer to a service capable of beingaccessed via a communications and/or computing network, such as theInternet, a wireless cellular network, etc., as examples, other thandirectly relating to purchase and/or sale of merchandise to or from anend user. Accordingly, an Internet service may comprise sending and/orreceiving instant messages comprising electronic text, video,multimedia, and/or other content. An Internet service may also comprisesending and/or receiving of electronic mail, and/or providing, includingproviding access to (e.g., making accessible), particular forms ofcontent such as audio content, video content, and/or multimedia content,etc. An Internet service may also refer to providing, includingproviding access to (e.g., making accessible), content, such asinstructional advice, including financial guidance, legal advice,technical assistance, medical opinions, navigation and/or routeplanning, and/or the like, for example.

In embodiments, registering for sets of Internet-type services, such asinstant messaging, access to electronic mail, access to particularcontent, and so forth, may take place on a “progressive” basis.Progressive registration for Internet service sets may involve one ormore network devices, such as servers, for example, providing access tosets of Internet services responsive to mobile device users supplyingone or more individual-specific parameters, such as, for example, in anembodiment, one or more parameters intended to be of a level at leastroughly commensurate with a level of service being sought. In anon-limiting example, responsive to initiating an application thatoperates on a mobile device, a server device, for example, may request amobile device to identify itself using a mobile account identifier forthe mobile account. Responsive to registering a mobile device with aserver device using only a mobile account identifier, for example, aserver device may permit a mobile device to utilize one or more serviceswithin an initial set of Internet services provided, at least in part,by a server device. Thus, for example, a mobile device user registeringto utilize an instant messaging service, such as by providing only acellular telephone number to a server device, for example, may bepermitted to utilize other services within an initial set of Internetservices that includes an instant messaging service.

In embodiments, Internet services may be enabled using a mobile deviceby way of an application program interface, in which software programapplications, for example, directly and/or indirectly, interact with oneanother. In other embodiments, Internet services may be enabled, atleast in part, by way of a web interface, in which a software browseroperates on a mobile device to perform some or all client functions, forexample. Again, these are merely examples provided as illustrations.Furthermore, claimed subject matter is not intended to be limited toillustrative examples, but rather, is intended to embrace a host ofpossible implementations, including combinations thereof.

In embodiments, a mobile device may progressively register to utilizeone or more Internet services of an upgraded (e.g., higher than aninitial set or level) set of Internet services by providing one or moreadditional individual-specific parameters, again, in an embodiment, suchas one or more parameters that may be at least roughly commensurate witha level of service being sought. Examples of reasons without limitationmay include: improved security, added convenience and/or targetedmarketing. In one example, a mobile device user seeking to utilize a setof Internet services that includes electronic mail service, may providea first and last name of a mobile device user, for example, in additionto a previously provided mobile account identifier. In addition to beingpermitted to utilize services within an Internet service set thatincludes an additional Internet service, such as electronic mail, amobile device user may be permitted to utilize services of previouslyutilized Internet service sets, such as a service set that includes, forexample, access to instant messaging. Thus, as illustrated by thisexample, an additional individual specific parameter may be requestedand, if provided, may permit access to a set of Internet services forwhich an additional individual specific parameter may be utilized. Asyet another example, if access to mature content is desired, a date ofbirth may be requested as an additional individual-specific parameter.

By providing a capability for progressive registration forInternet-based services, a mobile device user need only supplyindividual-specific parameters commensurate with a set of Internetservices in an embodiment. Accordingly, in one possible embodiment, aninitial set of Internet services may be provided responsive to a usersupplying only a mobile account identifier, such as a cellular telephonenumber. It is noted that in some particular situations a set maycomprise a single service, of course. A mobile device user may upgradeto a larger set of Internet services by providing, for example, a singleadditional individual-specific parameter, such as a first and last name.Thus, in embodiments, a mobile device user may be permitted to accessInternet services responsive to providing only small amounts ofindividual-specific parameters. As a mobile device user seeks to utilizeprogressive sets of Internet services, a server device may request acommensurate amount of individual-specific parameters.

In embodiments, if a mobile device user exits an Internet service, themobile device user may return to the Internet service without beingrequired to reenter individual-specific parameters. In embodiments,after initial registration, a mobile device user may utilize one or moreInternet services, merely by selecting an icon on a mobile computingdevice, for example. Further, if a server device determines a presence(e.g., in a database) of individual-specific parameters associated witha mobile account identifier, such as, for example, a mobile accountholder's first and last name, a mobile account holder's first/last name,etc., in an embodiment, a server device may permit access to acommensurate set of Internet services, such as electronic mail, viewingpremium content, and/or the like. An embodiment may, for example,increase ease-of-use of mobile device services as well as provideadditional benefits, such as examples previously discussed. Again,however, claimed subject matter is not limited to examples provided,such as for illustration.

In particular embodiments, also, via progressive registration, forexample, individual-specific parameters stored in a server may permit amobile device user to utilize sets of Internet services across a numberof devices. For example, if a mobile device user supplies a mobileaccount identifier, such as a cellular telephone number, so that theuser may view premium content on his or her smart phone, for example,the user may also be capable of viewing premium content on his or hermobile laptop computer, mobile tablet computing device, and so forth, ifappropriate individual specific parameters, for example, are provided.

In particular embodiments, individual-specific parameters may beutilized by media networks in a manner that may better serve mobiledevice users. For example, if a mobile device user provides a zip code,a media network may be capable of directing relevant advertisements,which may comprise coupons, special offers, discounts, for nearbymerchants. Individual-specific parameters comprising demographicinformation (e.g., gender, age group, etc.) may enable a media networkto direct beneficial age-appropriate advertisements, for example. Itshould be noted, again, that individual-specific parameters may beutilized to provide additional benefits for mobile device users;however, claimed subject matter is not limited to illustrative examplesprovided, for example.

In particular embodiments, a mobile device may downgrade or regress(e.g., regressively register) from a set of Internet services, whichmay, in an embodiment, for example, bring about a server and/or similardevice deleting at least some individual-specific parameters. Thus, if amobile device user no longer wishes to utilize an electronic mailaccount or no longer has a desire for access to premium content, forexample, certain Internet services may be deactivated. At a later time,however, if a mobile device user wishes to reacquire one or moreservices of a set of Internet services, in an embodiment, the user mayagain transmit appropriate individual-specific parameters, such ascommensurate for a particular level of service, to a server and/orsimilar device, for example. A server and/or network device, forexample, responsive to receiving one or more additionalindividual-specific parameters, in an embodiment, may reactivate one ormore services of a set of Internet services, such as by restoring theuser to the state that existed at the time the service or services wereceased. Thus, in particular embodiments, for example, reactivation ofone or more services of the set of Internet services may additionallycomprise repopulate contact lists, for example, of a user's instantmessaging contacts, a user's profile, list of favorites, and/or thelike.

Thus, particular embodiments may represent an improvement overpresent-day approaches to mobile device service access. Present-dayservice access models make use of an “all or nothing” arrangement, inwhich a user may be either allowed or denied access to one or moreInternet services. In contrast, at least some embodiments of claimedsubject matter may bring about a more flexible service access model, inwhich mobile device users may progressively (or regressively) supply oneor more individual-specific parameters, such as in an embodiment, inwhich the parameters are at least roughly commensurate with a desiredlevel of service. Likewise, as previously discussed, level of servicemay be modulated appropriately by a user. In some embodiments, forexample, if a user supplies only one individual-specific parameter(e.g., mobile telephone number) or a small set of parameters, the usermay be provided with a commensurately small set of Internet services. Onthe other hand, if a user supplies one or more additionalindividual-specific parameters, the user may be provided with acommensurately larger set of Internet services.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration 100 of a services manifest showingInternet service sets and commensurate individual-specific parametersaccording to an embodiment. In particular embodiments, services manifest105 may be encoded and stored electronically using one or more memorydevices, which may be accessed by a server to permit the server toprovide various services to mobile devices. However, it should be notedthat services manifest 105 may be accessed by computing devices and/ornetwork device other than server devices. Again, as explained, claimedsubject matter is not limited to examples provided for illustration.

Services manifest 105 shows Internet service sets 1-N, which maycorrespond to Internet services provided by a server device to a mobiledevice, for example. In particular embodiments, services manifest 105may list, for example, three Internet service sets, five Internetservice sets, seven Internet service sets, or a greater number, such asten or twenty service sets, for example. Services provided in one ormore Internet service sets may include, for example, instant messaging,access to electronic mail, access to file systems, access to premiumaudio, video, and/or multimedia content, navigation and route planningservices, and/or a large number of other Internet services; however, asdiscussed, claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect.

Internet service set 1 may comprise, for example, an instant messagingservice, which may be accessed by a mobile device by supplying, forexample, a commensurate individual-specific parameter group 101 (e.g.,mobile account identifier). Additional Internet services, such aselectronic mail, for example, may be provided to a mobile deviceresponsive to a mobile device user providing commensurateindividual-specific parameters 102 (e.g., user first/last name inaddition to a cellular telephone number). As shown in FIG. 1, access toInternet service set 2 permits access to services within lower-levelInternet service sets, such as Internet service set 1. Likewise,Internet service set N shows that additional services may be provided toa mobile device responsive to providing additional individual-specificparameters. Additionally, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, access to higherservice sets (e.g., Internet service set N) provides access to servicesof lower-level Internet service sets (e.g., Internet service set 1through N−1). In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a mobile device may accessservices of Internet service set N by providing, for example,individual-specific parameter group 109 (e.g., cellular telephonenumber, user first/last name, post office address, and so forth).

Services manifest 105 may be utilized, such as by a program executed byone or more processors of a server device and/or similar device, such asto receive and/or transmit electrical signals to and/or from database110. It is noted therefore, that services manifest 105 and its content,such as a list of individual specific parameters associated with variouslevels of service, may be distinct from database 110, as illustrated byFIG. 1.

In particular embodiments, database 110 may store particularindividual-specific parameters (e.g., attributes), such as cellulartelephone numbers of individual mobile device users, electronic mailaddresses for users, contact lists, address books, and so forth. Incertain embodiments, if a mobile device user downgrades or regressesfrom an Internet service set, which may indicate, for example, that auser no longer wishes to access services of a particular set of Internetservices, one or more individual-specific parameters of a group may bedeleted from database 110. Thus, for example, if a mobile device user isno longer interested in accessing electronic mail using a mobilecomputing device, a user may resign from, for example, Internet serviceset 2. Downgrading or regressing from Internet service set 2 may giverise to a server device deleting, for example, a first/last name fromdatabase 110. Of course, as previously described, in an embodiment, auser may reacquire one or more Internet services of a particularInternet service set by again providing a group of individual-specificparameters for an Internet service set in accordance with servicesmanifest 105. For example, in an embodiment, a user may be returned to astate prior to ceasing of the one or more Internet services.

As prior discussion illustrates, deletion from database 110 may not inan embodiment necessarily affect services manifest 105; however, it isnoted, that services manifest 105 may likewise be modified in anembodiment. For example, if it were considered desirable to add anotherindividual specific parameter for a particular level of service or if itwere considered desirable to remove an individual specific parameterpresently specified to receive a particular level of service, in anembodiment, a modification to services manifest 105 may result inimplementation of a change. Likewise, depending at least in part onparticulars of an embodiment, a change, if implemented, may affect anentire computing and/or communications network or particular portionsintended to be affected.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 showing a mobile device communicatingwith a server device to obtain services of an Internet service setaccording to an embodiment. Example implementations, such as thosedescribed in a method, such as embodied as FIG. 2, and others herein,may include blocks in addition to those shown and described as beingperformed by server device 205, fewer blocks, blocks occurring in anorder different than may be identified, or any combination thereof. InFIG. 2, a user of mobile device 202 is shown interacting with displaydevice 204 to select one or more icons rendered using device 204. Insome embodiments, icons displayed using display device 204 may representapplications, for example, that may initiate operation using mobiledevice 202 by merely tapping one or more icons. It should be noted thatapplications may be initiated by way of other interactions, such as witha mobile device (e.g., 202), such as actuating one or more buttons, oneor more switches, one or more selectors, and so forth, and claimedsubject matter is intended to embrace all approaches to user interactionwithout limitation including, for example, speaking, touching,actuating, swiping, etc.

Responsive to a user selecting one or more icons displayed using display204, mobile device 202 may generate wireless signals, for example, thatmay be transmitted via network 215 to server device 205. Of course,network 215 is intended to depict any communications and/or computingnetwork, including the Internet, a cellular network, the public switchedtelephone network, a private network and/or any combinations thereof.Although only a single server device 205 is shown in FIG. 2, in certainembodiments, server device 205 may represent a group of cooperatingserver devices and/or other devices, which may number into the dozens,hundreds, thousands, and so forth. Thus, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular number and/or type of devices.

At block 210, a computing and/or network device, such as, for example,server device 205, may receive one or more service requests from mobiledevice 202. At block 220, server device 205 may access a manifest, suchas services manifest 105 of FIG. 1, to determine, in an embodiment,whether individual-specific parameters commensurate with an Internetservice set have previously been made available to server device 205. Inat least one embodiment, block 220 may involve server 205 determiningthat, for example, mobile device 202 may access a particular service,such as an instant messaging service, for example, if server device 205is in possession of a group of individual-specific parameters, such as,for example, a cellular telephone number corresponding to a mobiledevice 202. Accordingly, responsive to determining individual-specificparameters for mobile device 202, which may involve server device 205accessing a database of individual-specific parameters, server device205 may execute block 230. Server device 205 may determine ifindividual-specific parameters related to client mobile 202 areavailable using any one of a host of possible approaches, which may ormay not include querying one or more databases, for example. Again,claimed subject matter is not limited to illustrative examples.

In an embodiment, responsive to determining that commensurateindividual-specific parameters for a requested Internet service set areaccessible to server device 205, block 260 may be performed, in whichserver device 205 may permit mobile device 202 to access a requestedservice. In particular embodiments, server device 205 may permit mobiledevice 202 to access potentially all other services of an Internetservice set that includes the requested service, for example. If,responsive to determining that server 205 does not have access toindividual-specific parameters commensurate with a requested Internetservice set, such as at block 230, server device 205 may execute block240. At block 240, server device 205 may transmit one or more requests,by way of network 215, for example, which may indicate to a user ofmobile device 202 that additional individual-specific parameters may berequested by server device 205. Responsive to receipt of one or moreprompts from server device 205, for example, a user of mobile device 202may transmit additional individual-specific parameters to server device205.

At block 250, server device 205 may obtain additionalindividual-specific parameters which may, for example, form a completegroup of individual-specific parameters for a particular set of Internetservices. In particular embodiments, block 250 may involve, for example,authenticating one or more individual-specific parameters. Thus, in onepossible example, if mobile device 202 represents a smart phone, serverdevice 205 may request that the user authenticate a telephone number byentering a text string, for example, transmitted from server device 205to the mobile device. Responsive to receipt of a text string, serverdevice 205 may compare a transmitted text string with a text stringreceived from mobile device 202 to determine agreement between or amongtransmitted and received text strings. Authentication ofindividual-specific parameters may be accomplished using othertechniques, and claimed subject matter is intended to embrace any andall such authentication techniques.

Responsive to authentication, for example, server device 205 maydetermine that a complete group of individual-specific parameters for aparticular set of internet services has been obtained. Accordingly,server device 205 may permit access to a requested service, such as atblock 260. In at least one embodiment, server device 205 may permitaccess to all services of an Internet service set that includes arequested service, for example. It is noted that depending at least inpart on particulars of an embodiment, authentication may or may not berepeated in connection with a user seeking a progressively higher (e.g.,increased) level of service.

For purposes of illustration, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram 300 of acomputing platform that may be employed for providing services to mobiledevice users based, at least in part, on individual-specific parametersaccording to an embodiment. A computing platform, such as that embodiedin FIG. 3 may comprise computing device 310 that may be employed toperform operations such as, for example, described herein. In FIG. 3,computing device 310 may interface with mobile device 312, which maycomprise features of a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a personaldigital assistant, a wearable computer, a wrist phone, a laptopcomputer, a personal entertainment system, a tablet personal computer, apersonal audio and/or video device, a personal navigation device, aswell as other type of mobile or at least occasionally mobile computingdevice, for example.

Communications interface 320, processor 350, and memory 370, which maycomprise primary memory 374 and secondary memory 376, may communicate byway of communication bus 340, for example. In FIG. 3, computing device310 may store various forms computer-implementable instructions, by wayof input/output module 330, for example, such as those that may beoperative as, which may, for example, receive requests for services,determine if individual-specific parameters for a particular mobiledevice are prescribed for permitting access to a set of Internetservices that includes a requested service, and so forth. Mobile device312 may communicate with computing device 310 by way of a wired and/orwireless Internet connection via network 315, for example. Although acomputing platform, such as the computing platform embodied in FIG. 3shows the above-identified components, claimed subject matter is notlimited to computing platforms having only these components as otherimplementations may include alternative arrangements that may compriseadditional components, fewer components, or components that functiondifferently while achieving similar results. Rather, examples areprovided merely as illustrations. It is not intended that claimedsubject matter be limited in scope to illustrative examples.

Processor 350 may be representative of one or more circuits, such asdigital circuits, to perform at least a portion of a computing procedureor process. By way of example but not limitation, processor 350 maycomprise one or more processors, such as controllers, microprocessors,microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits, digitalsignal processors, programmable logic devices, field programmable gatearrays, and the like, or any combination thereof. In implementations,processor 350 may perform signal processing to manipulate signals and/orstates or to construct signals and/or states, for example.

Memory 370 may be representative of any storage mechanism. Memory 370may comprise, for example, primary memory 374 and secondary memory 376,additional memory circuits, mechanisms, or combinations thereof may beused. Memory 370 may comprise, for example, random access memory, readonly memory, or one or more data storage devices or systems, such as,for example, a disk drive, an optical disc drive, a tape drive, asolid-state memory drive, just to name a few examples. Memory 370 may beutilized to store a program, as an example. Memory 370 may also comprisea memory controller for accessing computer-readable medium 380, whichmay implement a manifest, which may comprise a listing of Internetservice sets and individual-specific parameters needed to accessInternet service sets. Computer-readable medium 380 may additionallyimplement a database, such as database 110, which may comprise a listingof individual-specific parameters of various individual mobile deviceusers along with commensurate sets of Internet services. Under directionof processor 350, memory, such as cells storing physical states,representing, for example, a program, may be executed by processor 350and generated signals may be transmitted via the Internet, for example.Processor 350 may also receive digitally encoded signals from computingdevice 310.

Network 315 may comprise one or more communication links, processes,and/or resources to support exchanging communication signals between amobile device and server, which may, for example, comprise one or moreservers (not shown). By way of example, but not limitation, network 315may comprise wireless and/or wired communication links, telephone ortelecommunications systems, Wi-Fi networks, Wi-MAX networks, theInternet, the web, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network(WAN), or any combination thereof.

The term “computing platform,” as used herein, refers to a system and/ora device, such as a computing device, that includes a capability toprocess and/or store data in the form of signals and/or states. Thus, acomputing platform, in this context, may comprise hardware, software,firmware, or any combination thereof (other than software per se).Computing device 310, as depicted in FIG. 3, is merely one such example,and claimed subject matter is not limited to this particular example.For one or more embodiments, a computing platform may comprise any of awide range of digital electronic devices, including, but not limited to,personal desktop or notebook computers, high-definition televisions,digital versatile disc (DVD) players and/or recorders, game consoles,satellite television receivers, cellular telephones, personal digitalassistants, mobile audio and/or video playback and/or recording devices,or any combination of the above. Further, unless specifically statedotherwise, a process as described herein, with reference to flowdiagrams and/or otherwise, may also be executed and/or affected, inwhole or in part, by a computing platform.

Memory 370 may store cookies relating to one or more users and may alsocomprise a computer-readable medium that may carry and/or makeaccessible content, code and/or instructions, for example, executable byprocessor 350 or some other controller or processor capable of executinginstructions, for example. A user may make use of an input device and/oran output device, such as a computer mouse, stylus, track ball,keyboard, or any other device capable of receiving an input from a user.

Regarding aspects related to a communications or computing network, awireless network may couple client devices with a network. A wirelessnetwork may employ stand-alone ad-hoc networks, mesh networks, WirelessLAN (WLAN) networks, cellular networks, or the like. A wireless networkmay further include a system of terminals, gateways, routers, or thelike coupled by wireless radio links, and/or the like, which may movefreely, randomly or organize themselves arbitrarily, such that networktopology may change, at times even rapidly. Wireless network may furtheremploy a plurality of network access technologies, including Long TermEvolution (LTE), WLAN, Wireless Router (WR) mesh, or 2nd, 3rd, or 4thgeneration (2G, 3G, or 4G) cellular technology, or other technologies,or the like. Network access technologies may enable wide area coveragefor devices, such as client devices with varying degrees of mobility,for example.

A network may enable radio frequency or wireless type communications viaa network access technology, such as Global System for Mobilecommunication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS),General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment(EDGE), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced, Wideband CodeDivision Multiple Access (WCDMA), Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n, or other, orthe like. A wireless network may include virtually any type of nowknown, or to be developed, wireless communication mechanism by whichsignals may be communicated between devices, such as a client device ora computing device, between or within a network, or the like.

Communications between a computing device and a wireless network may bein accordance with known, or to be developed cellular telephonecommunication network protocols including, for example, global systemfor mobile communications (GSM), enhanced data rate for GSM evolution(EDGE), and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX). Acomputing device may also have a subscriber identity module (SIM) card,which, for example, may comprise a detachable smart card that storessubscription information of a user, and may also store a contact list ofthe user. A user may own the computing device or may otherwise be itsprimary user, for example. A computing device may be assigned an addressby a wireless or wired telephony network operator, or an InternetService Provider (ISP). For example, an address may comprise a domesticor international telephone number, an Internet Protocol (IP) address,and/or one or more other identifiers. In other embodiments, acommunication network may be embodied as a wired network, wirelessnetwork, or combination thereof.

A computing or network device may vary in terms of capabilities orfeatures. Claimed subject matter is intended to cover a wide range ofpotential variations. For example, a network device may include anumeric keypad or other display of limited functionality, such as amonochrome liquid crystal display (LCD) for displaying text. Incontrast, however, as another example, a web-enabled computing devicemay include a physical or a virtual keyboard, mass storage, one or moreaccelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, global positioning system (GPS)or other location-identifying type capability, and/or a display with ahigher degree of functionality, such as a touch-sensitive color 2D or 3Ddisplay, for example.

A computing device may include or may execute a variety of now known, orto be developed operating systems, or derivatives and/or versions,including personal computer operating systems, such as a Windows, iOS orLinux, or a mobile operating system, such as iOS, Android, or WindowsMobile, or the like. A computing device may include or may execute avariety of possible applications, such as a client software applicationenabling communication with other devices, such as communicating one ormore messages, such as via email, short message service (SMS), ormultimedia message service (MMS), including via a network, such as asocial network including, but not limited to, Facebook, LinkedIn,Twitter, Flickr, or Google+, to provide only a few examples. A computingdevice may also include or execute a software application to communicatecontent, such as, for example, textual content, multimedia content, orthe like. A computing device may also include or execute a softwareapplication to perform a variety of possible tasks, such as browsing,searching, playing various forms of content, including locally stored orstreamed video, or games such as, but not limited to, fantasy sportsleagues. The foregoing is provided merely to illustrate that claimedsubject matter is intended to include a wide range of possible featuresor capabilities.

A network including a computing device, for example, may also beextended to another device communicating as part of another network,such as via a virtual private network (VPN). To support a VPN,transmissions may be forwarded to the VPN device. For example, asoftware tunnel may be created. Tunneled traffic may, or may not beencrypted, and a tunneling protocol may be substantially complaint withor substantially compatible with any past, present or future versions ofany of the following protocols: IPSec, Transport Layer Security,Datagram Transport Layer Security, Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption,Microsoft's Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, Multipath Virtual PrivateNetwork, Secure Shell VPN, or another existing protocol, or anotherprotocol that may be developed.

A network may be compatible with now known, or to be developed, past,present, or future versions of any, but not limited to the followingnetwork protocol stacks: ARCNET, AppleTalk, ATM, Bluetooth, DECnet,Ethernet, FDDI, Frame Relay, HIPPI, IEEE 1394, IEEE 802.11, IEEE-488,Internet Protocol Suite, IPX, Myrinet, OSI Protocol Suite, QsNet,RS-232, SPX, System Network Architecture, Token Ring, USB, or X.25. Anetwork may employ, for example, TCP/IP, UDP, DECnet, NetBEUI, IPX,Appletalk, other, or the like. Versions of the Internet Protocol (IP)may include IPv4, IPv6, other, and/or the like.

It will, of course, be understood that, although particular embodimentswill be described, claimed subject matter is not limited in scope to aparticular embodiment or implementation. For example, one embodiment maybe in hardware, such as implemented to operate on a device orcombination of devices, for example, whereas another embodiment may be,at least in part, in software. Likewise, an embodiment may beimplemented in firmware, or as any combination of hardware, software,and/or firmware, for example (other than software per se). Likewise,although claimed subject matter is not limited in scope in this respect,one embodiment may comprise one or more articles, such as a storagemedium or storage media. Storage media, such as, one or more CD-ROMsand/or disks, for example, may have stored thereon instructions,executable by a system, such as a computer system, computing platform,or other system, for example, that may result in an embodiment of amethod in accordance with claimed subject matter being executed, such asa previously described embodiment, for example; although, of course,claimed subject matter is not limited to previously describedembodiments. As one potential example, a computing platform may includeone or more processing units or processors, one or more devices capableof inputting/outputting, such as a display, a keyboard and/or a mouse,and/or one or more memories, such as static random access memory,dynamic random access memory, flash memory, and/or a hard drive.

In the preceding detailed description, numerous specific details havebeen set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subjectmatter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatclaimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, methods and/or apparatuses that would be known byone of ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not toobscure claimed subject matter. Some portions of the preceding detaileddescription have been presented in terms of logic, algorithms, and/orsymbolic representations of operations on binary signals or states, suchas stored within a memory of a specific apparatus or special purposecomputing device or platform. In the context of this particularspecification, the term specific apparatus or the like includes ageneral purpose computing device, such as general purpose computer, onceit is programmed to perform particular functions pursuant toinstructions from program software.

Algorithmic descriptions and/or symbolic representations are examples oftechniques used by those of ordinary skill in the signal processingand/or related arts to convey the substance of their work to othersskilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, is consideredto be a self-consistent sequence of operations and/or similar signalprocessing leading to a desired result. In this context, operationsand/or processing involve physical manipulation of physical quantities.Typically, although not necessarily, such quantities may take the formof electrical and/or magnetic signals and/or states capable of beingstored, transferred, combined, compared, processed or otherwisemanipulated as electronic signals and/or states representinginformation. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasonsof common usage, to refer to such signals and/or states as bits, data,values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, numerals,information, and/or the like. It should be understood, however, that allof these or similar terms are to be associated with appropriate physicalquantities and are merely convenient labels. Unless specifically statedotherwise, as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciatedthat throughout this specification discussions utilizing terms such as“processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining”, “establishing”,“obtaining”, “identifying”, “selecting”, “generating”, and/or the likemay refer to actions and/or processes of a specific apparatus, such as aspecial purpose computer and/or a similar special purpose computingdevice. In the context of this specification, therefore, a specialpurpose computer and/or a similar special purpose computing device iscapable of processing, manipulating and/or transforming signals and/orstates, typically represented as physical electronic and/or magneticquantities within memories, registers, and/or other information storagedevices, transmission devices, and/or display devices of the specialpurpose computer and/or similar special purpose computing device. In thecontext of this particular patent application, as mentioned, the term“specific apparatus” may include a general purpose computing device,such as a general purpose computer, once it is programmed to performparticular functions pursuant to instructions from program software.

In some circumstances, operation of a memory device, such as a change instate from a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa, for example, maycomprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. Withparticular types of memory devices, such a physical transformation maycomprise a physical transformation of an article to a different state orthing. For example, but without limitation, for some types of memorydevices, a change in state may involve an accumulation and/or storage ofcharge or a release of stored charge. Likewise, in other memory devices,a change of state may comprise a physical change, such as atransformation in magnetic orientation and/or a physical change ortransformation in molecular structure, such as from crystalline toamorphous or vice-versa. In still other memory devices, a change inphysical state may involve quantum mechanical phenomena, such as,superposition, entanglement, and/or the like, which may involve quantumbits (qubits), for example. The foregoing is not intended to be anexhaustive list of all examples in which a change in state form a binaryone to a binary zero or vice-versa in a memory device may comprise atransformation, such as a physical transformation. Rather, the foregoingis intended as illustrative examples.

While there has been illustrated and/or described what are presentlyconsidered to be example features, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the relevant art that various other modifications may be madeand/or equivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimedsubject matter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter withoutdeparting from one or more central concept(s) described herein.Therefore, it is intended that claimed subject matter not be limited tothe particular examples disclosed, but that such claimed subject mattermay also include all aspects falling within appended claims and/orequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of progressively registering forsuccessive sets of Internet services via a mobile device associated witha mobile account of a mobile communications service provider comprising:registering for an initial set of Internet services selected from thesuccessive sets of Internet services by only providing a mobile accountidentifier for the mobile account; receiving Internet servicesresponsive to the registering, the received Internet services beingprovided according to a services manifest specifying a plurality ofprogressive sets of Internet service sets commensurate with a specifiedone or more individual-specific parameters; and providing only oneadditional individual-specific parameter to register for an additionalset of Internet services selected from the successive sets of Internetservices.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the progressivelyregistering further comprises: transmitting the mobile accountidentifier.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile accountidentifier comprises a mobile phone number.
 4. The method of claim 2,further comprising: transmitting a message using the mobile account forauthentication.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial set ofInternet services comprises an instant messaging service.
 6. A method ofproviding progressive sets of services via a mobile device associatedwith a mobile account of a mobile communications service providercomprising: registering a user of the mobile device for an initial setof Internet services responsive to receipt of only a mobile accountidentifier for the mobile account; accessing, responsive to theregistering, a services manifest specifying one or moreindividual-specific parameters and specifying a plurality of progressivesets of Internet service sets commensurate with the specified one ormore individual-specific parameters, the mobile device providing onlyone additional individual-specific parameter to register for anadditional set of Internet services.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereinthe mobile account identifier corresponds to a mobile phone number. 8.The method of claim 6, further comprising: deleting one or moreindividual-specific parameters responsive to receipt of a mobile deviceuser downgrading from a service level of a set of Internet services. 9.An article comprising: a non-transitory storage medium comprisingmachine-readable instructions stored thereon executable by aspecial-purpose computing apparatus to: provide access to an initial setof Internet services responsive to registration of a mobile device viaonly an identifier for a mobile account; provide the mobile device withInternet services to accord with a services manifest to specify one ormore individual-specific parameters and to specify a plurality ofprogressive sets of Internet service sets commensurate with thespecified one or more individual-specific parameters; and provide accessto an additional set of Internet services, the additional set ofInternet services to include the initial set of Internet services, theaccess to be provided responsive to receipt of only an additionalindividual-specific parameter.
 10. The article of claim 9, wherein themobile account identifier comprises a mobile telephone number.
 11. Thearticle of claim 10, wherein the machine-readable instructions arefurther executable to: authenticate the mobile telephone number via acomparison of a second message received from the mobile device with afirst message previously transmitted to the mobile device.
 12. Thearticle of claim 9, wherein the additional individual-specific parametercomprises a user name identifier.
 13. The article of claim 9, whereinthe additional individual-specific parameter comprises an email address.14. The article of claim 9, wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone.